CSI Aviation subsidiary acquires Australian airplane maker

A subsidiary of Albuquerque’s CSI Aviation on Tuesday announced that it has acquired the Australian airplane manufacturer Seabird Aviation.

Terms of the deal were not announced. But the Seabird is a small, lightweight airplane that offers visibility from the cockpit, and slow speed characteristics that make the airplane a low-cost competitor for helicopters.

“We’ve had a long relationship with Seabird,” said William Collins, the COO of CSI Aviation. “Now that we’ve acquired the company, we’re going to take it to the next level. We hope to sell various types of this aircraft to customers worldwide who are seeking a more versatile and affordable aircraft.”

Last year, CSI Aviation donated one of the two Seeker airplanes it had purchased for demonstration and marketing purposes to the New Mexico State Police. The airplane has been configured with cameras and other equipment for use in law enforcement.